OCEANSIDE WRONG TO NIX HARBOR OUTSOURCING

The Oceanside City Council’s rejection of a proposal to outsource Oceanside Harbor operations was a flagrant, and foolish, violation of the principle of fiscal conservatism.

The city could have shaved 2.5 percent from its annual operating costs by letting California Yacht Marinas run the harbor. The savings would be even more when you factor in pension costs for city workers for which Oceanside would no longer be liable.

And yet the bid went down to defeat when Councilman Jack Feller joined the liberal minority, maintaining the city isn’t facing an immediate financial crisis.

We agree with Councilman Jerry Kern’s argument that the city should save money now because of projected deficits down the road.

Critics apparently were swayed by the prospect of 16 city job losses as well as a rise in slip rental fees. Neither argument holds water. California Yacht Marinas said it would probably offer jobs to most of the displaced workers. And slip fees, held to an artificially low rate by the Oceanside City Council, should go up to the market rate, instead of being subsidized by taxpayers.

Once again, common sense was tossed out the door — a door that will likely hit Oceanside in the you-know-what at some point in the future.